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Advice to John Parsons

Enquiry

• From: John Parsons
• Date advice given: 17 April 2020

Sizewell C Please do not submit an application for a Development Consent Order during the coronavirus lockdown (which could last most of the year). EDF wants to press ahead this month [April], but this would be unacceptable and they should not proceed until the Planning Inspectorate, Government’s Statutory Advisers, Local Authorities, Parish and Town Councils, Groups and individuals are fully resourced and able to engage properly. Pushing this through now would amount to a circumnavigation of democratic planning process. Yours, John Parsons

Advice given

Dear Mr Parsons, Thank you for your email to the Inspectorate and the Applicant. The process for applying for a Development Consent Order (DCO) is set out in the Planning Act 2008. The timing of the application is at the discretion of the Applicant. The project page of the National Infrastructure Planning website will be updated when the application is received and when the decision on whether or not to accept the application for Examination is made. https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/eastern/sizewell-c-new-nuclear-power-station/?ipcsection=advice&ipcadvice=f89bb4795f It is important to note that when an Applicant submits an application for development consent to the Planning Inspectorate that there then follows a period of up to 28 days for the Planning Inspectorate, on behalf of the Secretary of State, to decide whether or not the application meets the standards required to be accepted for Examination. The standards are set out in Section 55 of the Planning Act 2008 (as amended) and Regulations 5 and 6 of the Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009. All parties are encouraged to sign up for Email Updates using the button on the project page or via the link below: https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/email-subscription.php?project=EN010012&email= Email Updates will enable parties to observe what’s happening on the application after it has been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate. Should the application be accepted for Examination, it is important to note that if parties then wish to participate in the Examination they would need to register as an Interested Party at the appropriate time during the Pre-examination stage. If parties have signed up for the Email Updates they will receive a prompt when the registration period opens (the Relevant Representation period). For further information about registering as an Interested Party please see ‘Advice Note 8.2: How to register to participate in an Examination’. https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/legislation-and-advice/advice-notes/ The Advice Note explains that if the Planning Inspectorate decides to accept an application for Examination, it will then be the Applicant’s duty to advertise the Relevant Representation period and provide details about how to register to become an Interested Party. The Applicant has indicated that it will extend this registration period beyond the statutory minimum of thirty days, if the application is accepted, to allow all parties more time to review the application documents and register their interest before the start of the six month Examination stage. The Planning Inspectorate is mindful of the need to ensure both openness and fairness throughout all stages of the DCO process and will continue to highlight this in discussions with the Applicant. Finally, with regard to the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, please refer to the Planning Inspectorate’s published guidance which will be updated as the situation develops. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-planning-inspectorate-guidance I hope you find the above information helpful. Kind regards, Liam

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